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Getting to the Core of it all: An Exploration of Domain Specific and Domain General Influences on Mathematics Outcomes

Hart, Sara A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1276792365

Abstract Details

2010, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science.
The fields of cognitive psychology and educational psychology are both interested in identifying the aspects of mathematical processing which are involved in mathematical ability and disability; however both literatures use very different types of measures. The first aim of this dissertation was to identify, describe and explore specific variables within experimental measures drawn from the cognitive psychology literature. This project served as the first time these domain specific “core math” measures have been given in a large scale twin sample particularly interested in collecting individual differences indices. The second major aim of this dissertation was to then understand how these experimental core math measures are related to domain specific psychometric math performance outcome measures, commonly used measures from the educational psychology literature, as well as domain general memory measures. This dissertation was based on a sample of 204 12-year-old twins from a larger twin project called the Western Reserve Reading and Math Project, based in Ohio. All the participants were given batteries of experimental core math measures, psychometric math and reading performance outcome measures, and working memory measures, through two home visits conducted within a month of each other. Results suggested that there were moderate associations among core measures variables within measure, and low to moderate associations of these core measures to psychometric mathematics performance outcomes. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested that two factors best represented these data of the core math measures. Examining structural equation models including the two core math factors, a psychometric math performance factor and a working memory factor, results indicated that there was a multiple mediation of the relationship between Working Memory and Psychometric Math Performance by the core math factors. This same mediation relationship was not upheld when Psychometric Reading Performance was included in the model instead of Psychometric Math Performance. The results suggested that the core math factors appeared to represent domain specific intermediate abilities which are important to the performance of school-related math abilities. They are not entirely inherent, but also not fully developed through formal education. This project was the first time that these core math measures had been explored together in a large scale individual differences project, and allowed for an understanding of possible domain specific pathways in which difficulties in math outcomes may exist, outside of domain general processing.
Stephen Petrill (Advisor)
Laura Justice (Committee Member)
Claire Kamp Dush (Committee Member)
Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan (Committee Member)
146 p.
Math; Working Memory; Twins; Genetics; Domain General; Domain Specific

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hart, S. A. (2010). Getting to the Core of it all: An Exploration of Domain Specific and Domain General Influences on Mathematics Outcomes [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1276792365

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hart, Sara. Getting to the Core of it all: An Exploration of Domain Specific and Domain General Influences on Mathematics Outcomes. 2010. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1276792365.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hart, Sara. "Getting to the Core of it all: An Exploration of Domain Specific and Domain General Influences on Mathematics Outcomes." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1276792365

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.